Exporting a house in G-max to FS2002.

[Guest]

Hi all,I just designed a house (my first) in G-max.Now, following the G-max tutorial i should be able to select File - Export in G-max in order to assign G-max to export as an BGL file and let G-max start the MakeBGL program.This MakeBGL program is installed in the G-max / Plugins folder.The problem is that i can't select "export" in G-max because under the file tab the "Import , Export and Export selected" lines are light grey (so not selectable).Now i can't make a BGL and place the house in my scenery.Does anybody has a solution for me, so i can go on with my tutorial and learning progress?Any help is apreciated.Regards,Ben

[Guest]

Hi Ben, do you have the gamepack from fs2k2 professional? If so, have you moved fsmodelexp.dll to the location specified by the readme in fs2k2? And makemdl.exe as well?Bob B

[Guest]

Hi Bob,Am i glad i ever send you the nice note (vbg).....Thanks for replying, you are right on track.It turned out that i only had copied the MakeMDL.exe into flightsim.As the readme told, i have now copied two directory's and a .ini file and that worked.I can now start the exporter, but unfortunately two problems come in place.....Exporting and converting the file to FS in BGL format, Gmax comes with the following message:>>MakeMDL was not found, or failed to convert the model specified in >>C:gmaxgemaxpacksflightsimhuis3 to a .MDL file.>>Check your system path to ensure MakeMDL is on it.Sure MakeMDL is installed but i doubt wich and where i have to assign the path.And....in the .log file the following message occurs, wich points at another thing, did i make a design failure on the house?>>Running model>>Start! (C:gmaxgamepacksFlightSimHuis3)>>Loading X C:gmaxgamepacksFlightSimHuis3...>>Error in exporter: Mismatch between # vertices (270) and # normals >>(82) in part Box01.>>Error!>>Error!I hope you or anybody elso can and would like to help me out with those two?Regards,Ben.

[Guest]

Hi Ben, u've "graduated" to the next common issue. First of all, don't take the error literally. You did EXACTLY the right thing by reviewing the log....THAT's the info to pay attention to. Its a bug that makes the summary report claim a path error.>>Start! (C:gmaxgamepacksFlightSimHuis3)>>Loading X C:gmaxgamepacksFlightSimHuis3...>>Error in exporter: Mismatch between # vertices (270) and # normals >>(82) in part Box01.>>Error!>>Error!Now I don't pretend to really be expert in the way the program tries to match the number of vertices (points) with the number of normals, but I've always been able to resolve these problems with some fiddling. There is a difference between assigning normals to points rather than the simpler way, that is to assign normals to faces. When you assign the normals to the faces, you see the difference between faces sharply (facets). Smoothing assigns normals to the vertices, and because adjoining faces share vertices, an averaging of the light reflection occurs at the vertices, which makes it look smooth. (EXPERTS - please forgive if I'm not precise)So....I'd say that the most likely way to get a mismatch would be to have an isolated vertex somewhere. I think you can resolve this if you select all and "weld vertices", I think you'll get a box prompting you to eliminate isolated vertices. That should do it.Best,Bob B

[arno 1]

One note, the problem can also be that the regional settings of Windows are wrong. I don't know if you have them set to Dutch Ben? In that case the , is set as decimal symbol, but MakeMDL only works if you have set the . as decimal symbol. You you can best switch the . and , around in the regional settings.Arno

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Member Netherlands 2000 Scenery Team[a href=http://home.wanadoo.nl/arno.gerretsen]http://home.wanadoo.nl/arno.gerretsen/banner.jpg[/a]

[Guest]

Hi Bob and Arno,My goodness .......why is this so hard?It is due the fact i really want to learn this, otherwise i would have quit. I have now worked about 7 hours over the last day's, to solve only this exporting thing.You where both right.I changed the decimal sign and now exproting into BGL format works.But after that i could take a look at what really is wrong with those Vertices....there are just to many to fix.So i gave up and redesigned the same house again but now be more carefull with those isloated vertices (i didn't know before).After finishing the redesigned house i exported it succesfully (the previous problem is gone...).Unfortunately after generating the BGL a new one arrised.........:Generate crash tree 1 (72 bytes) Assembling: C:FS2002ADDON SCENERYBen3SceneryHouse 5.azmC:FS2002ADDON SCENERYBen3SceneryHouse 5_0.asm(29) : error A2008: syntax error : integerC:FS2002ADDON SCENERYBen3SceneryHouse 5_0.asm(256) : error A2008: syntax error : integerError!Any idea what that is supposed to mean?When i ask to many questions.......just give me a yell....regards,Ben

[arno 1]

Hi Ben,Seems to have something to do with the crash detection. I never seen it myself, but maybe that's because I always disable it on exporting :).I don't know if your object is complex? If that is the case the crash detection might be complex too and that has resulted in error before. You can always try to export it with the crash detection option unchecked.And don't worry, once you have setup all the tools and got a bit used to them it will be a lot easier :D.Arno

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Member Netherlands 2000 Scenery Team[a href=http://home.wanadoo.nl/arno.gerretsen]http://home.wanadoo.nl/arno.gerretsen/banner.jpg[/a]

[Guest]

I'd of answered also, but I don't know...haven't seen this one either. you have my email. If you wish, send me the file...I can probably find the problem if I can mess with it a bit.B

[rhumbaflappy 113]

Hi Ben.Those are BGLC syntax errors.Are you using the latest version of BGLC? The numbers in the parenthesis are the actual line numbers of the code where the error occurs ( occasionally one line earlier ). If you have a text editor with a status bar, you should be able to find those line numbers to inspect them. In this case the compiler either detects integer numbers, when it wants floating point, or the opposite, or some numbers are expected, but missing.... very odd. I have not anywhere near the experience of Bob or Arno, but I have never had that type of error from Gmax produced code.Did you edit anything?Dick

[Guest]

Hi Bob, Arno and Dick,Dick: I will download BGLC !Bob: The sending file offer i will keep for more important future designs when you agree?Thanks for your help....you are very talented......and kind I have redesigned the house for the third time.Now without any eaves on the roof....so a little straight forward but still with more parts, not only a square box.This does the job, i also have added textures and worked with Imagetool to change the bmp's to DXT1's.I have placed the house near the runway wich i have build on a 5.600 ft mountain.First it wasn't there, it turned out to be excluded because it was to close to the runway (like the autogen trees).I have displaced it a bit and there it was.....my first house.Learning process is s bit steep, but i have some results.I am now thinking about finishing this airport on top of the mountain, with custom baracks and textures.I have the "courage" to start the job, because i know you will help me.I say thank you, for your kind help and i will see you after my 1 week ski holiday next week, i am sure i will come back then with some new nice G-max and scenery design "problems" for you .It is fun.......sure it is fun !Regards,Ben